Deflector trough for switch heaters



NOV. 28, 1933. w SCHQLZ DEFLECTOR THOUGH FOR SWITCH HEATERS Filed July17, 1930 Patented Nov. 28, 1933 PIATEN DEFLECTOR TROUGH FOR HEATERSSWITCH William P. Scholz, Morristown, J. Application July 17,1930.Serial No, 468,547

' 1 Claim. (01. 246-428) The device, the subject of this invention, isintended as a means for supporting a heater, and refers particularly tothe type of heater sometimes called a snow melter or'switch heater, andused on railroads to melt snow or ice, that might otherwise form orcollect in switches, and by its presence, prevent the ready operation ofthe switch tongue.

In many instances, these heaters are placed in a recess or groove, whichhas been provided in' the rail tie, and under the switch plate.

'When heaters are placed in the ties, or closely adjacent thereto, theties become charred and burnt, and consequently, weakened, and it is forthe purpose of overcoming the burning of the tie, or the possibility ofsetting fire thereto, that I have invented the device which I will nowdescribe, having reference to the drawing which accompanies thisapplication, and which should be considered for a complete understandingof the specification which follows.

In the drawing:- r

Fig. 1 shows a tie in section, with a heater, and my device in placetherein.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of my device.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view thereof, and

Fig. 4 shows a fractured modification.

Figures 2, 3 and 4 are on a larger scale. Similar reference numeralsindicate like parts in all the figures where they appear.

At 1, I show a switch heater. The particular construction of this devicewill be found fully set forth in a patent application Ser. No. 468,546made by me, and filed even date herewith. The cross tie is shown at 2,and is provided with a recess 3, into which the heater isinserted. Theusual switch plate, which lies on the upper side of the tie and acrossthe heater is omitted.

If the heater were inserted directly into the tie, the tie might becomecharred or burnt, or a fire might be started, and as the effectiveheating is to take place only on the switch plate, which is above theheater, I prefer to place around my heater, a deflector which will alsoserve as a means for preventing the overheating or charring of the tie.

My device is formed as a trough, having a bottom plate 4, and sideplates 5 and 6. These plates may be formed integral, one with the other,and the material that I will select .for my device should be a heatreflecting material. I may use I aluminum or any other desired material.

The members 4, 5 and 6 are formed to pro+ duce an open-ended trough, asshown in Fig. 3.

tie 2, and to maintain it separated, so as to provide an airspace suchas shown at'7, 8 and 9 on all sides of the trough where it is adjacentto the tie, and to provide and'maintain this space,-'I secure in thebottom and sides of.my trough member, projecting plugs.

r OFFICE,

The plugslO and ,11 project from the side member 5, and the plugs 12 and14 project from the side member 6. While the plugs 15, 16, 17 and "'18project from the bottom, and as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, these plugs maybe riveted into their respective plates. I i

As previously stated, the heater 1 is arranged in the trough member, butspaced therefrom. As it is my desire to provide an air space around, theheater, or between the heater and the trough, as well as between thetrough and the tie, and to maintain the air space between the heater andthe trough, I provide additional plugs such as are shown at 19, 20 and21,'secured in the plate 5, and 22, 23 and 24, secured in the plate 6,and I also provide inwardly projecting plugs 25 and 26, secured in thebottom member 4, and upon.

which the heater member rests.

It will of course be understood that these plugs, which serve as spacingmembers, are constructed as-rivets, and that perforations are providedin each of the plates to receive the smaller 'di-' ameter of the plug,as suggested at 27 in "Fig. 3,

To obtain greatest efficiency, I will probably.

paint the, recess in the so as to reflect all of the heat. 7

Having carefully and fully described my invention, what I claim anddesire to secure by Letters Patent is:

tie with aluminum paint,

In a device of the character described, the com 9 bination with a tiehaving a recess therein, of an open topped trough member arrangedtherein, spacers secured to said trough .toretain said trough away fromsaid tie and a heater mem--' ber arranged in said secured to the wallsadapted to maintain a clear air space between said heaterv and saidtrough.

, i j WILLIAM P. SCHOLZ.

trough member and spacers It is desirable to separate the trough fromthe of said trough and being.

